FR Doc 2010-7254[Federal Register: March 31, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 61)]
[Notices]
[Page 16175-16176]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr31mr10-120]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Notice of Inventory Completion: Museum of Cultural and Natural
History, Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, MI
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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Notice is here given in accordance with the Native American Graves
Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C. 3003, of the
completion of an inventory of human remains and associated funerary
objects in the possession of the Museum of Cultural and Natural
History, Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, MI. The human
remains and associated funerary objects were removed from Arenac,
Isabella, and Saginaw Counties, MI.
This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003 (d)(3).
The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of the Native
American human remains and associated funerary objects. The National
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.
A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the Museum
of Cultural and Natural History professional staff and physical
anthropologists from Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, and
the University of Western Ontario, Canada, and in consultation with
representatives of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of
[[Page 16176]]
Odawa Indians, Michigan, and the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of
Michigan.
In 1970, human remains representing a minimum of two individuals
were removed from Point Lookout, 20AC18, in Arenac County, MI. Students
from Central Michigan University and amateur archeologists excavated
the site and the material was immediately turned over to the Museum of
Cultural and Natural History. No known individuals were identified. The
11 associated funerary objects are 2 (reconstructed) ceramic vessels, 1
piece of worked bone, 1 small sheet of copper, 1 bag of ochre sand, 1
stone object, 1 bag of ceramic sherds, 1 group of copper beads and bead
fragments, 1 stone tool, 1 bone needle, and 1 tooth from an unknown
animal.
Archeological evidence dates the material from the Early Late
Woodland Era, and the determination is supported by publications of the
State Archaeologist's Office of Michigan. The human remains were
identified as being of Native American ancestry based on archeological
dating and osteological examination.
In 1970-1971, human remains representing a minimum of 18
individuals were removed from Indian Mound Park, 20IB1, in Isabella
County, MI. Faculty and students from Central Michigan University
excavated the site and the material was immediately turned over to the
Museum of Cultural and Natural History. No known individuals were
identified. The five associated funerary objects are one celt, one
projectile point, and three ceramic sherds.
Archeological evidence dates the material from the Early Late
Woodland Era, and the determination is supported by publications of the
State Archaeologist's Office of Michigan. The human remains were
identified as being of Native American ancestry based on archeological
dating and osteological examination.
From 1968 to 1970, and in 1972, human remains representing a
minimum 124 individuals were removed from the Frazier-Tyra site, 20SA9,
in Saginaw County, MI. Amateur archeologists excavated the site from
1968 to 1970, and turned over the material to the Anthropology
Department of Central Michigan University, which transferred it to the
Museum of Cultural and Natural History in the early 1990s. Students
from Central Michigan University excavated the site again in 1972, and
immediately turned over the materials they found to the Museum of
Cultural and Natural History. No known individuals were identified. The
372 associated funerary objects are 285 ceramic sherds, 76 pieces of
lithic debitage, 4 scrapers, 1 piece of copper, 1 abrading stone, 1
projectile point, 1 piece of conch, 1 bag of ochre, 1 pipe and 1 pipe
fragment.
Archeological evidence dates the material from the Early Late
Woodland Era, and the determination is supported by publications of the
State Archaeologist's Office of Michigan. The human remains were
identified as being of Native American ancestry based on archeological
dating and osteological examination.
The area of Arenac, Isabella, and Saginaw Counties in mid-Michigan
has a long established history of Native American occupation before
European encroachment in the early 17th century. The Anishnaabek, which
is comprised of the Odawa/Ottawa, Ojibwe/Chippewa and Potawatomi, have
long called this area home. Officials of the Museum of Cultural and
Natural History have reasonably determined that the individuals
described above from Arenac, Isabella, and Saginaw Counties are Native
American, however, officials of the Museum of Cultural and Natural
History have determined that the evidence is insufficient to determine
cultural affiliation with any present-day Indian tribe.
Officials of the Museum of Cultural and Natural History have
determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (9-10), the human remains
described above represent the physical remains of 144 individuals of
Native American ancestry. Officials of the Museum of Cultural and
Natural History also have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001
(3)(A), the 388 objects described above are reasonably believed to have
been placed with or near individual human remains at the time of death
or later as part of the death rite or ceremony. Lastly, officials of
the Museum of Cultural and Natural History have determined that,
pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (2), a relationship of shared group identity
cannot be reasonably traced between the Native American human remains
and associated funerary objects and any present-day Indian tribe.
The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Review
Committee (Review Committee) is responsible for recommending specific
actions for disposition of culturally unidentifiable human remains. In
February 2009, the Museum of Cultural and Natural History requested
that the Review Committee recommend disposition of the 144 culturally
unidentifiable human remains and associated funerary objects to the
Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Michigan, and the Saginaw
Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Michigan, as the aboriginal occupants of
the lands encompassing the present-day Arenac, Isabella, and Saginaw
Counties, MI. The Review Committee considered the proposal at its May
23 - 24, 2009 meeting and recommended disposition of the human remains
and associated funerary objects to the Little Traverse Bay Bands of
Odawa Indians, Michigan, and the Saginaw Tribe of Chippewa Indians of
Michigan. A September 16, 2009, letter on behalf of the Secretary of
Interior from the Designated Federal Official transmitted the
authorization for the museum to effect disposition of the culturally
unidentifiable human remains and associated funerary objects to the two
Indian tribes listed above contingent on the publication of a Notice of
Inventory Completion in the Federal Register. This notice fulfills that
requirement.
Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to
be culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary
objects should contact Dr. Pamela Gates, NAGPRA Representative, Museum
of Cultural and Natural History, 103 Rowe Hall, Central Michigan
University, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859, telephone (989) 774-3341, before
April 30, 2010. Disposition of the human remains and associated
funerary objects to the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians,
Michigan, and the Saginaw Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Michigan may
proceed after that date if no additional claimants come forward.
The Museum of Cultural and Natural History is responsible for
notifying the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Michigan, and
the Saginaw Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Michigan that this notice has
been published.
Dated: March 2, 2010
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2010-7254 Filed 3-30-10; 8:45 am]
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